370G Tank Preview
- Thread starter reefboy1
- Start date
Detritivore
New member
wow, they even put the starboard in for you!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Reefdogjim
New member
Looks good!
reefboy1
Premium Member
Jonah- Yep, Envision is a full service operation 
He gave me an awesome deal on the seaboard because he can get it cheap. It also gave me a large selection of colors to choose from. He sent me a load of samples and my wife and I picked out an off white color called "Seafoam".
Nick, I'll have the live rock up on acrylic racks...I'm still working thru the design in my head - it's going to be fun. I basically get to have two different viewing planes (front and back) that can be totally different. One thing that I like most of all is that is the depth that I'll have when looking thru one of the 13" angle planes - I'll definitely keep that into consideration for the final layout. I hope to have it wet by the end of April or early May.
Corb66, I've spent alot of time getting a 8'x4' closet in my garage ready for the new sump. I put FRP paneling on the walls, sealed the floor and put foam exercise pads down on it. I have a heavy duty laminated shelf above the sumps for various things and a power center built into the front. Right now it houses a temp sump for my 215gal tank. Here are a few crappy pics (lots of stuff in front of the closet so I can't get the doors to open all the way). It's still kind of messy.
Here's the left side of the room - you can see that I have taped out where the 100 gal sump will sit.
Here's a pic of the right side with the temporary sump for my 215gal. It's going to be replaced by a more open 75 gal sump.
Art
He gave me an awesome deal on the seaboard because he can get it cheap. It also gave me a large selection of colors to choose from. He sent me a load of samples and my wife and I picked out an off white color called "Seafoam".Nick, I'll have the live rock up on acrylic racks...I'm still working thru the design in my head - it's going to be fun. I basically get to have two different viewing planes (front and back) that can be totally different. One thing that I like most of all is that is the depth that I'll have when looking thru one of the 13" angle planes - I'll definitely keep that into consideration for the final layout. I hope to have it wet by the end of April or early May.
Corb66, I've spent alot of time getting a 8'x4' closet in my garage ready for the new sump. I put FRP paneling on the walls, sealed the floor and put foam exercise pads down on it. I have a heavy duty laminated shelf above the sumps for various things and a power center built into the front. Right now it houses a temp sump for my 215gal tank. Here are a few crappy pics (lots of stuff in front of the closet so I can't get the doors to open all the way). It's still kind of messy.
Here's the left side of the room - you can see that I have taped out where the 100 gal sump will sit.
Here's a pic of the right side with the temporary sump for my 215gal. It's going to be replaced by a more open 75 gal sump.
Art
Art,
I always try to to do nice clean installs.
Some of my tricks (Or retentive habits), and good practice for strong joints:
-Use a razor or fine sandpaper to scrape the lettering off of the pipe. Or, where it will be only viewed from one side, turn it so the letters are facing the back. Yes I'm THAT picky
- NEVER use purple primer (ugly), but ALWAYS use clear primer on both pipe and fitting. The joint is much stronger.
- Always bevel the cut ends of the pipe. Inside to deburr, and outside so when inserting the pipe it does not scrape all the glue away. It does make a stronger joint.
- Dont be stingy with the (clear
) glue. I goop it, then wipe off the squeeze out, leaving a fillet around the joint with my finger (like when siliconing).
- Always insert the pipe fully, and rotate into position. Then hold it till it sticks. The things will try to separate due to the fittings tapered socket.
- Support the pipe and fittings, espescially with long runs or where it can be bumped into. Also support plumbing where connected to skimmers, etc. You dont want any torque on equipment fittings. The grey Carlon electrical conduit hangers at Home Depot work fine. You can also buy all plastic plumbers strap that you simply wrap around the pipe and screw to the stand, wall, etc.
- Use a heat gun on Spa flex to get it pointing where you want it. The stuff is springy enough to break some fittings. Dont heat it where it will be glued, it'll distort and not glue well.
- Dont use cheap ball valves. They all leak over time, or simply get too hard to turn.
- Threaded fittings are not worth the effort to try and save fittings for reuse. PVC is too cheap to try and plan that far ahead. BUT I always will put a threaded fitting on a piece of equipment that only has a socket fitting. Like on a chiller- you definately will be replumbing at some point. Or at least leave a little pipe before puting on a fitting, so you have something to glue to later if you have to cut it.
- Use LOTS of unions (and ballvalves where needed) for line inspection, equipment maintenance, etc.
Oh, and use dropcloths- pvc glue can ruin floors, paint, etc quickly. And dont forget to ventilate!
Some of this is common sense, and I'm probably not telling you anything new. Just a good overview and what I try to do.
FWIW,
Chris
I always try to to do nice clean installs.
Some of my tricks (Or retentive habits), and good practice for strong joints:
-Use a razor or fine sandpaper to scrape the lettering off of the pipe. Or, where it will be only viewed from one side, turn it so the letters are facing the back. Yes I'm THAT picky
- NEVER use purple primer (ugly), but ALWAYS use clear primer on both pipe and fitting. The joint is much stronger.
- Always bevel the cut ends of the pipe. Inside to deburr, and outside so when inserting the pipe it does not scrape all the glue away. It does make a stronger joint.
- Dont be stingy with the (clear
) glue. I goop it, then wipe off the squeeze out, leaving a fillet around the joint with my finger (like when siliconing).- Always insert the pipe fully, and rotate into position. Then hold it till it sticks. The things will try to separate due to the fittings tapered socket.
- Support the pipe and fittings, espescially with long runs or where it can be bumped into. Also support plumbing where connected to skimmers, etc. You dont want any torque on equipment fittings. The grey Carlon electrical conduit hangers at Home Depot work fine. You can also buy all plastic plumbers strap that you simply wrap around the pipe and screw to the stand, wall, etc.
- Use a heat gun on Spa flex to get it pointing where you want it. The stuff is springy enough to break some fittings. Dont heat it where it will be glued, it'll distort and not glue well.
- Dont use cheap ball valves. They all leak over time, or simply get too hard to turn.
- Threaded fittings are not worth the effort to try and save fittings for reuse. PVC is too cheap to try and plan that far ahead. BUT I always will put a threaded fitting on a piece of equipment that only has a socket fitting. Like on a chiller- you definately will be replumbing at some point. Or at least leave a little pipe before puting on a fitting, so you have something to glue to later if you have to cut it.
- Use LOTS of unions (and ballvalves where needed) for line inspection, equipment maintenance, etc.
Oh, and use dropcloths- pvc glue can ruin floors, paint, etc quickly. And dont forget to ventilate!
Some of this is common sense, and I'm probably not telling you anything new. Just a good overview and what I try to do.
FWIW,
Chris
reefboy1
Premium Member
Chris,
Thanks so much for the tips - they're very useful (especially the one about heating up flex PVC). When I do have to use threaded fittings (like on bulkheads), do use suggest teflon tape or paste? Also, how do you bevel the cuts? With sandpaper?
Nick, I have a Bubbleking 400 Internal that's been on order for ever. If it falls thru, then I'll consider a big H&S or Deltec.
Art
Thanks so much for the tips - they're very useful (especially the one about heating up flex PVC). When I do have to use threaded fittings (like on bulkheads), do use suggest teflon tape or paste? Also, how do you bevel the cuts? With sandpaper?
Nick, I have a Bubbleking 400 Internal that's been on order for ever. If it falls thru, then I'll consider a big H&S or Deltec.
Art
mikeo1210
Premium Member
Wow very nice. You're lucky to have Greg's help. He's very much on the cutting edge of the hobby.
That looks to be some extremely thick acrylic. I'd guess 1.25". I've got a tank on order from James as well. This is making me cringe.
Very interested to know what you come up w/ for your rock rack. I've been "racking" my brain over this for days as well. I like the acrylic rack idea but also found a pvc storage rack in my garage I might cut up.
That looks to be some extremely thick acrylic. I'd guess 1.25". I've got a tank on order from James as well. This is making me cringe.
Very interested to know what you come up w/ for your rock rack. I've been "racking"
my brain over this for days as well. I like the acrylic rack idea but also found a pvc storage rack in my garage I might cut up."Chris,
Thanks so much for the tips - they're very useful (especially the one about heating up flex PVC). When I do have to use threaded fittings (like on bulkheads), do use suggest teflon tape or paste?"
I like tape over paste. I put one wrap around the first few threads and progressively more toward the top. That way, it gets tight fast and you know its sealing as you tighten it. PVC fiting to PVC fitting, you only need 3-4 wraps of tape, but PVC to pump, or some bulkheads, you need up to 10-15! I usually test fit it dry and see how far I can thread it by hand, then tape accordingly. It becomes a "feel" thing eventually.
"Also, how do you bevel the cuts? With sandpaper?"
I cut my pipe on a chopsaw, then stick the end on my disc sander and give it a spin. I have a deburring tool to whip out a bevel on the inside. Sandpaper works fine too, just slower. There are some really nice deburring tools for PVC, but theyre expensive. They are the only way to fly when doing a lot, though.
HTH, and cant WAIT to see this one!
Chris
Thanks so much for the tips - they're very useful (especially the one about heating up flex PVC). When I do have to use threaded fittings (like on bulkheads), do use suggest teflon tape or paste?"
I like tape over paste. I put one wrap around the first few threads and progressively more toward the top. That way, it gets tight fast and you know its sealing as you tighten it. PVC fiting to PVC fitting, you only need 3-4 wraps of tape, but PVC to pump, or some bulkheads, you need up to 10-15! I usually test fit it dry and see how far I can thread it by hand, then tape accordingly. It becomes a "feel" thing eventually.
"Also, how do you bevel the cuts? With sandpaper?"
I cut my pipe on a chopsaw, then stick the end on my disc sander and give it a spin. I have a deburring tool to whip out a bevel on the inside. Sandpaper works fine too, just slower. There are some really nice deburring tools for PVC, but theyre expensive. They are the only way to fly when doing a lot, though.
HTH, and cant WAIT to see this one!
Chris
reefboy1
Premium Member
Mike, the acrylic is 1" all around. I've spent alot of time trying to design the racks in my head using a mixture of square acrylic rods and sheets. With Greg's help, I'm sure we'll come up with something that's not lame (at least I hope). Anyways, I can always resort to a pile of rocks.
Nick - I've been waiting for about 5 months now. They say it's been shipped. We'll see.
Chris - thanks again for the advice.
Nick - I've been waiting for about 5 months now. They say it's been shipped. We'll see.
Chris - thanks again for the advice.
